Brussels Airlines cancelled a Catania-to-Brussels service after volcanic ash from Mount Etna disrupted operations at Catania Fontanarossa Airport, leaving about 140 passengers stranded in Sicily. The airport remained shut until at least midday on Sunday, while the airline expected the affected travellers to be rebooked for Sunday or Monday.
The disruption extended beyond one flight. A Brussels Airlines departure scheduled for 14:55 on Saturday was diverted to Palermo, and another Brussels-bound service due at 18:05 on Sunday was also rerouted via the western Sicilian airport. A separate TUI flight was affected as well, underscoring the wider impact on airport operations rather than an isolated airline issue.
Mount Etna has repeatedly forced short-notice changes at Catania, one of Sicily’s busiest airports, and the latest ash cloud again triggered cancellations and diversions across the schedule. Brussels Airlines passenger services were handled through Palermo while the Catania closure remained in place.